What is Learning Disability Testing

Struggling with things like reading, writing, or math can be frustrating and disheartening for anyone, but there is no reason to have to continue without proper assistance or understanding. Resources are available to help improve these issues, both in children and adults. Psychoeducational testing is a form of neuropsychological assessment that evaluates academic functioning. This helps to identify different scholastic strengths and weaknesses as well as potential challenges. Testing provides guidance and overview into how an individual is functioning compared to peers of similar age and expected grade levels. This type of testing can also be used to identify different learning styles and potential learning disorders.

Many areas must be tested in order to accurately diagnose cognitive (Memory, Executive functioning, Visual processing, Auditory processing), learning (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia), or attention deficit disorders (ADD and ADHD). To begin, a person’s overall intelligence – or cognitive ability – must be measured. All of the processing areas must also be assessed. These areas include visual/auditory memory and discrimination, executive functioning, and processing speed. Once these processing areas have been evaluated, the person’s achievement must be tested in various areas, such as speaking, listening, reading, writing and math. Before the diagnostic testing is complete, background information is examined, such as family history, medical history, school performance, emotional factors, motivational issues and his or her attention span.

These evaluations are a necessary component of receiving a 504 or IEP plan.